Postpartum - a phase everyone romanticizes as the happiest time. It’s often said that a woman’s world changes the moment she gives birth- and yes, it does. But is it really all flowers and rainbows? Behind those tiny socks & congratulatory messages, many mothers silently battle an illness that society still fails to recognize- postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression is not just “baby blues.” It is a clinical depressive disorder that begins anytime within the first year after childbirth. It affects energy, mood, sleep, bonding, appetite - and most painfully: a mother’s sense of identity. Right after birth, a mother is hit with a whirlwind of hormonal changes, each one shaping her emotions in ways she can’t even explain.
Let’s try to understand why it exactly happens? Multiple forces collide at once:
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There is a huge shift of hormones after delivery- The pituitary takes a strong hit and all the pregnancy hormones start going down.
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The physical exhaustion from the birth of the baby.
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The sleep deprivation that comes with attending to baby’s needs at any given time of the day.
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Breastfeeding is painful and might be stressful for few mothers.
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Lack of domestic and emotional support.
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Fear of not being a good enough mother.
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Having body image issues.
It’s a storm no one prepares women for.
All these reasons take a huge toll on a new mother in different ways. Some describe it as feeling disconnected from their baby, while some feel the persistent sadness or emptiness. Some might also feel guilty for not being happy enough and facing difficulty in bonding with their baby, leading to the irritability or mental disturbance. It is heart-breaking because these women are suffering in silence, often while smiling and trying to adjust to the huge change in their life.
This is where the society needs to step in and normalize conversations around maternal mental health and develop the screening for every mother at prenatal and postpartum visits. Train the families to recognize the early symptoms and tell them the importance about mental health of the mother and the importance of physical & emotional support that they need to provide. Make mental health support accessible in all maternity set-ups.
Postpartum depression is not as rare as we might think, in fact the numbers are a lot more than what we talk about. Roughly 1 in 7 mothers are affected by postpartum depression, and while not all of them are able to cope with it, a significant minority faces self-harm risks & even suicide, making postpartum depression a serious life-threatening issue if left untreated. This isn’t just a sad phase; it’s a major public health problem.
If a mother’s body deserves care after childbirth, why don’t we give her mind the same attention? What do you think can bring the change in our healthcare system?
MBH/PS